Jungle
by AlbinoNoire
Summary: A trio of Yautjas find themselves deep in a South American jungle, what awaits one from this trip is something no one could fathom. Rewritten from the first time. Beta'd by Khalthar. TW: Major Character Death, Human Death
1. Chapter 1

It begins.

…

The light thumping of sandal-clad feet gave notice of the new presence in the weapon room, Nan'ku glanced around as he entered. Bowing his head slightly in the gaze of the Elder warrior. Today was the start of a great hunting and bonding trip. The Elder's two sons, Dez'mos and Nan'ku were joining him for minor trophy claiming. It was a very rare event for a trio of males to be together for a hunt like this, so it only pleased Guan-thwei more to be hunting with his grown pups.

This was also very important for Nan'ku, because he'd just completed his first Kainde Amedha and having a few more trophies under his belt would bring the clan great honor.

Plus it would be training for all of them, something to center their body and mind.

Guan-thwei clicked at his son before giving a light shake to his shoulder, "Will Dez'Mos be here soon? We might just have to leave without him." His father rumbled in a joking manner. The mandibles around his large mouth rubbed together, decorated with carvings and metal cuffs which only showed off his rank.

"I believe he's packing some things for the trip." The shorter Hunter chattered lightly in annoyance.

"Good warriors stay open to new information, Nan'ku." His father retorted with a short grunt. "Your brother only wants for us to do well, gathering more information on the area and game will be beneficial. You should remember this and take heed of it like Dez'Mos."

The young blood lowered his gaze, trying to hide a hiss. He hated when he was talked down to like this, especially if it involved being compared to his older sibling Dez'Mos.

Nan'ku might be the younger suckling and in fact small for his age, but he was cunning! Yet everyone looked over that because his brother was much more mature and knowledgeable.

That just made him sick. It made his stomach churn with hate.

If he ever had the chance to kill Dez'Mos, he would. Even in cold blood, even if it dishonored him and his people, just so that others would stop belittling him, he'd kill his own brother.

Dez'Mos entered and bowed to his Elder, "Forgive my lateness, father." He clicked somberly, "I was downloading and packing some extra things." The blooded male then stood to his tall stature of seven foot-two.

"No need to worry, my son." Guan-thwei growled in amusement and shook his boy's shoulder. "It'll do all of us good."

The blooded warrior's mandibles flexed lightly as he nodded. He was proud to be of some use. "I'm glad, do you think we should suit up before we leave?" He cocked his head to one side as he chattered eagerly.

"Now will be good, come." Guan-thwei clicked before heading deeper into the weapons room to dress properly for the trip. The jungle they would be hunting in was supposed to be entering the wet season, so thermal equipment would be needed to keep warm in the unpredictable weather. Along with the weapons, they'd need to take down their large kills and equipment to clean the trophies. Everything was going to be perfect. They'd be dropped after suiting up, the small ship was auto piloted to land while the males set up their camp.

The time for the drop off was counting down quite quickly while they fitted themselves, and the trio hurried to the pods. Giving one another a nod and blessing before they entered the cramped, single-man ships.

Arms crossed over his chest, Dez'Mos' blood was raring for the kill under his skin. While he'd been known as an intelligent and level-headed brother, nothing got him more impatient than a hunting trip. This would only be his second trip to this same place, the last time being over fifty years ago and the oomans he had met were...different.

They still lived in the old way.

Living off the land, taking what the needed and not what they wanted. Praying to many gods that they still believed in. The Yautja being one of them.

One group in particular had really caught his attention; they hid themselves away into the deep wilderness. They didn't just live; they survived unlike the other oomans of this day and age. Those plump and cozy beings were little sport, but these were true hunters.

Prey worthy of his skill.

The pod rattled all around him, filling the mask with amplified sounds of metal rasping against the wind as it broke through the dark clouds. His heart was starting to race, he could feel it beating harder against his chest. It almost dominating the other sounds all around him before everything stopped with a loud thud as the ship came crashing into the earth.

Dez'Mos let out a long breath he was sure he'd been holding for the whole drop as the pod's door opened with a hiss, pulling himself out of the ship. Glancing around the foliage-filled area, everything looked dulled as warm bodies of scattering animals raced away for their lives.

Climbing out of his pod and giving himself a reminder pat down, noting where all the items he had on him were.

Unaware that at the moment that he was being watched by the prey he sought to kill, the slender body clung to the high tree tops. Form coated in mud to cover her scent from other animals, the short but blunt nails dug into the smooth bark while inquisitive eyes peered at them from above. The small ooman female gazed at them from behind and almost completely blocked by leaves, her very temperature would be under cased by the blazing Sun.

The other two joined the middle male, each larger and more frighteningly adorned in battle gear than any man she'd ever seen. She moved as they did but only by cover of trees, easily finding her way through the masses of branches to follow them.

Her curiosity drove her farther than any wise ooman would ever traverse. Trying to work out what they were exactly, obviously not human, at least that she was sure of...

Guan-thwei slowly glanced back behind himself, shifting through his sights before he finally did spot the little creature's heartbeat. The ooman prey, albeit an adult was an unarmed female but she was alone, this made the Elder question if she was truly defenseless. Either way, this was not a time for sporting game. At this moment, the group had to set up a base camp before they even thought of claiming anything and before the rain started.

The ooman only stared back at the most massive of them, feeling a chill run down her spine from unknown emotions. Things she knew no name for, though it lingered on like sweat and fear. She rolled back her shoulders and growled at him. Her wondering thoughts were quenched for the moment as the older being seemed to acknowledge her existence.

Quickly as humanly possible the petite figure disappeared deeper into the dense jungle.

The Elder rumbled before joining his sons, "Do watch yourselves, we were just spotted by an ooman." He clicked at the others in warning.

Nan'ku perked up, "Shouldn't we go after it and make sure it's eliminated? For secrecy."

"And stain our honor by killing a possible Lou-dte Kale? I think not." Guan-thwei hissed as he pushed past the two, "Unless she is armed and proves to be dangerous by actually attacking we are not going to harm her or others like her, it would be wise to remember our codes."

Nan'ku nodded slowly before following after his father in spite of his feelings. Dez'Mos took up the rear, surveying the area around them for a chance to spot the female. The news of an ooman being here was good for the type of hunt he was looking to have; head hunting as it was to be called for obvious reasons.

The trophy he would be claiming from the kill would merely be the skull and spine.

As the trio headed deeper into the undergrowth the female had hurried back to her small abode. A little home away from home, if you will. Still close to the actual tribe in case she was needed by them or vice versa.

This place wasn't anything special, but it belonged to her and that was all that mattered. Iya, as she was called by her people, found her way past the foreboding stakes with trophies from her own kills. Down to the little stream next to an old tree, disrobing to clean off the caked mud, which she'd reapply after a bath. For two reasons mostly, the mud kept the mosquitoes away and it hid her scent while she was on the hunt.

She carefully slipped into the cool waters and submerged herself in hopes to get all the mud off.

The males found themselves a small clearing far from their now assimilated pods, after a week of hunting; they'd just take the ship back to the mother port then go back home. Clear and simple as that.

"All right, this place looks good enough. Our ship is about twenty yards off and cloaked so nothing should trouble it, the two of you should start setting up the sleeping cases, and I'll unpack our supplies." Guan-thwei stated firmly, giving a look of expectation to his offspring. "We need to do all that we can before even thinking about hunting, now set to your tasks."

That was all he said before heading off to his self-assigned job. Dez'Mos stood and began to set up the sleeping area for each of the three males, working himself at a steady pace. While Nan'ku started to establish a basic connection to each wrist communicator and to the ship, just in case anything they didn't plan for happened.

Things were calm for the first night, not much could be said for the next few days.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm glad you guys all like this, makes me really happy but you guys should really be thanking Khalthar for doing the beta work. I don't really think I'd be able to continue without his help.

Also, don't forget to vote on the poll! It's even at the moment.

Now for the new chapter!

…

Iya slept restlessly that night, tossing and turning in her small nesting place amongst the treetops. She was unable to find a comfortable position as her mind raced with unanswered questions.

What were those strange creatures?

What had they come for?

The nude female's stomach churned with possibilities, all of which frightened her. Her curiosity forced her to stay awake when while her sore muscles cried out for recuperation. The star demons had come from above, they carried many strange things with them and only went deeper into the forest. Iya's head swam with anxiety; she had to find out what the star demons were doing here.

Even if it placed her life at risk.

Easing her way out of the bundled skins, down to the thick branches until she finally found footing in the darkness. Her eyes were wide to take in as much scarce light as she cambered her away through the large branches; heading to where she'd last spotted the creatures.

The dark, poorly trimmed hair was short in the front, while the back still had a bit of length which kept her from too much trouble as she climbed on. Iya could still feel the pounding in her chest as she reached their landing point; only to find nothing there anymore expect for three large craters and broken trees. Carefully, ever so carefully she climbed down; planting herself firmly onto the ground as she descended from the trees.

This place was far from her own territory and from what she could tell by the lack of footprints these demons knew very well that they could be tracked. She let out an aggravated huff as she searched around the area for a moment, coming up with little to nothing of interest just as before. The evil spirits, as Iya was starting to believe they were, had left barely a trace of themselves. Even while their scent was left wafting around the area it was too dull for any human to track.

Unbeknownst to the little female; she'd been watched the entire time by three sets of eyes since the moment she'd entered the area. Those eyes were observing her behavior and manner of chattering to herself, picking up things that displayed cold amongst her blaring heat against the backdrop as steaming plants decayed.

"It's been here for almost thirty minutes!" Nan'ku clicked with annoyance, "If we're not going to kill it then can we at least stop looking at it, the thing is discomforting to watch. This is why oomans haven't evolved yet, they keep their weak aro…" He'd been cut of by a quick shove from the Elder.

The Elder looked disgruntled at Nan'ku's words; though he didn't speak much, what little he did say, meant more than most, "You are one to talk of weak." The Elder's words were threatening and seemed to boom loudly in the youngster's ears.

All the while Dez'Mos watched with the most interest, it had been some time since he'd seen an ooman and yet they always amazed him with how versatile they were. Albeit, smaller and they seemed to squabble over the most redundant of things compared to the highly trained Yautja. They also were unappealing to look at but none the less, Dez'Mos was fascinated by the petite female.

Looking back over to his father as Nan'ku wandered back towards the camp feeling a bit shamed even with no one there to judge him, "Elder..." Dez'Mos began, ever so often he'd glance back at the Lou-dte Kalei just to make sure she was there. "Would...would it be all right if I studied her people?"

Guan-thwei seemed bewildered by the idea at first, speaking nothing and scarcely a breath was heard as he looked past his son to the ooman.

The Elder thought it over for some time as the female still searched the area for at least some sign of life, "While I do believe it would be a good use of time, we are here to hunt; not to instruct ourselves on this back water planet's inhabits. You already did research at home anyway."

"But—" Dez'Mos started, "I will hunt, but I wish to learn more. Studying oomans has lead to great discoveries, even if they are not as advanced as us they've managed to show some type of intellect. We've hunted them for thousands of years and ever so often they succeed in killing a warrior. I believe we could learn from one another..."

The Blooded hunter stared back at his father, he didn't want to go against codes or upset the rights of the universe. A silence had fallen between the two but slowly Guan-thwei shook his head and laughed, "You sound very much like our Honored Scholars. Fine, you have permission to study her, but only if you can maintain your hunting as well." He declared.

Elders were far more laid-back than others, they'd gathered their trophies and won many fights. They found new ways to entertain themselves and Guan-thwei was no different.

Dez'Mos slowly nodded, clicking and bowing his head low. "Thank you."

"I'm more curious as to how you are going to examine an ooman without her knowing about your presence." The Elder laughed standing back up to head to the camp. It was going to be a long night for everyone and Guan-thwei wasn't going to forgo any sleep while he could get it. He already knew this was going to be a humorous night.

Dez'Mos would spend the next hour and a half awake as the ooman female wandered the area. Trying to figure things out for herself, she would probably have just as many questions for him as he had for her. Though at this point he was content with watching and recording her movements, along with anything she said to herself. He discovered that from the sounds she made, the female didn't speak English like the other oomans he'd hunted. That was something he would have to deal with at a later date, from this point in time Dez'Mos would have to focus energy in both hunting and observing. Slipping comfortably back against the darkness as Iya got fed up with the lack of signs and returned to her plot, unknowing that the star demon was following her the entire way.


	3. Chapter 3

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Now for the next chapter!

…

Guan-thwei had left Dez'Mos there, still chuckling to himself about how much his pup had grown and how different they all were.

Nan'ku had always been difficult to handle, the Elder was somewhat sure it had something to do with the mother. Mahnda had been a wonderful and beautiful mate but the fact she had died at birth with the youngest son shown some ill fate for the hunter.

All though he had been taken in by other females, it was not the same as having his own mother, he was always second best compared to their own children, always second for attention...and for care.

Since males had no place with rearing sucklings Guan-thwei had to deal with those facts, but he did make time to see the pups he'd help create. It was a little more meaningful if he knew them, at least to himself. He liked seeing them grow and spar with one another—even sharing stories of his hunts was entertaining. Their energy and playfulness made him feel less old, though only two really made an impact and kept him coming back even if it wasn't mating season.

Dez'Mos, the bright eyed and curious pup that was intent at being different. Using his wits and intelligence instead of brute force to become victorious in a fight. Raised by and even more clever lou-dte kalei by the name of Wir-k'hi, she was as fiery as C'ntlip but just as sweet as S'pke.

Though his step-brother, Nan'ku was smaller—a runt. Living in the shadow of everyone else, normally unseen but still attentive when it came to details of a kill. Placement and order were also a big part of his skins, sort of similar to a human disorder of OCD if you will...always worrying if something was out of state or if something was dirty.

It was cute back then but now it was just getting annoying. The condition was branching out into everything he did, controlling his behavior and dislikes...which was part of the reason Nan'ku hated oomans. Or that was Guan-thwei's explaining of it.

They were gross, misshapen prey but still interesting in their own little peculiar way, because some managed to gain a place among the ranks, albeit that was few and far between. Normally oomans were prey and prey alone, but it had been found that breeding with them lead to an odd combination...

The Elder stopped in his tracks, shaking his head. What was he thinking?

Going on about some strange little dribble, though it was a bit entertaining he was beginning to believe he'd been to hard on Nan'ku. The male was just being himself and shouldn't have been reprimanded for his words, scratching the back of his neck lightly. Tonight was not yet over, the hunt had yet to begin and he'd already snapped at his youngest. Feeling a little downhearted by that, knowing that Nan'ku was just expressing himself—the Elder went to apologize.

All the while Dez'Mos had found himself at a standstill.

The ooman had given up with her search and had headed back to her plot, though she'd taken a strange way back. Instead of staying to the ground she took to the trees and branches once more. So odd and primitive, yet charming...in an ooman way.

Still the male hunter followed her, staying cloaked and as silent as he could be while he picked his way through the rough, dense foliage. This jungle reminded him of the forest that surrounded the area where he and Nan'ku grew up, though it was certainly not as dangerous.

While Iya climbed and clambered through branches in the dark, with her eyes open wide and pupils dilated in the pitch blackness, the hunter followed carefully below. Examining her every move—how she contorted around the branches to keep from falling, the flash of her heat signature against the blue backdrop and the detail she took with staying quiet to keep from being found out. It was all alluringly beautiful...for an ooman of course. If Dez'Mos was hunting her he'd find this extremely odd behavior but as he studied he began to understand her movements.

Soon she came upon an opening in the foliage and for a moment she sat in the high branches. Taking the time to survey the area before letting out a sigh and went to descend the tree's thick limbs.

Surefooted with her steps as she walked past a darken spot in the soil before setting down next to the massive tree that commanding the area with huge, fat roots digging into the deep earth. Iya wiggled in between those roots to pull out a long, half sharpened tree branch. Giving it a once over before picking up a thin rock and began to fiddle with it.

Dez'Mos watched. Contemplating his next course of action, he'd found the ooman's domain nearly two miles from their own camping site. He found it interesting that she'd actually remembered the exact area, he'd have to note this down. Her intelligence seemed more creditable than he'd first been lead to assume.

Softly clicking to himself as he recorded her actions long into the dawn before she herself decided to retire into the confines of her high nest-like bed in the branches of the aforementioned tree.

Believing he'd collected enough data to come up with a validated approach later this day the hunter returned back to his own camp. Still a bit weary from the descent this evening and staying awake all night to follow this ooman, he'd need a few hours to regain energy before he could even think of hunting.


	4. Chapter 4

My, my. It's been such a long time since I posted anything. Hope you all forgive me for such a long absence, with school and a trying to find a job (which of both were futile qmq). I could never get this fic outta my head and it just seemed kind of rude to leave it unfinished.

Anyway, I'd like to take this time to: (1) thank everyone who applied for position of Beta-Reader but the very wonderful Khalthar has come back and (2) I am also open for commissions (because I gotta pay back loans and shit like that), link provided on my profile.

Also, like every writer on this site pretty much, I DO NOT OWN ALIEN VS. PREDATOR.

I'm just a huge dork that likes to write fanfiction...

. . .

Elder Guan-thwei found himself in the concealed camp after a short walk discovering that Nan'ku was in his sleeping tent already. The metallic flap closed and he presumed the other to be shut in for the night. He rumbled in antipathy softly, wishing he had a chance to apologize for the outburst just a few moments before.

Though he promptly shoved off that notion as Dez'Mos entered the small clearing at a light jog, turning to his older pup.

"The Lou-dte kale seems to have busied herself with making a primitive weapon. I believe she doesn't take well to our arrival." Dez'Mos clicked a chuckle slightly. Finding it a bit humorous that the petite ooman could even think herself a match against their advanced munitions. Though his common sense reminded him of how oomans had innovated their technology in the past years and she could still be taken as a threat.

Even with a sharpened stick...

Guan-thwei flexed his mandibles slowly, trilling with his son. It was an amusing thought—one he wouldn't take lightly though. With oomans when there was one, there was many near by. It seemed to be a general rule with the lesser beings. Though the first glimpse he'd caught of her she'd been alone, not that he'd take that at face value.

The elder of the two nodded towards the separate tents, "Let's just get some sleep, you can start studying her tomorrow. Remember your promise though." He warned, "This had better not get in the way of our trophy hunting and if she does attack any of us while armed, she is fair game. Do you understand?"

Dez'Mos returned the nod, keeping his head a bit lower. "I understand and it will not." It hadn't occurred to him that his studying could be found as a menace to the ooman before—but now with the new thought in mind he was feeling a little more apprehensive of moving-forward with his survey. If she did pose a danger to their trio she would have to be eliminated.

The idea disheartened him but keeping their species a mystery from oomans that hadn't fell as prey or shown themselves worthy of being ranked was always a top priority. Not so much as The Codes themselves but still an important notation that couldn't be over looked for any reason. Glancing back up at his father as he went to his own tent before Dez'Mos headed to the empty one that seemed to beckon his aching feet.

. . .

The sun blinked between the fat, heavy clouds which vocalized noisily of an on coming storm. Barely any of the twinkling light found its way down through the canopy but the sound of dense rumbling sent the message loud and clear to those who knew all too well of the impending disruption. The huge river would swell and leak into the dry beds and smaller off shoots, flooding out animals and people that lived on the forest floor.

Iya's people had already moved deeper into the lush forest days before, leaving the female to fend for herself for another year. If it had been her first wet season by herself she might have thought to go with them but alas this was her third. She'd spent the weeks before hand preparing and packing everything important into her nest high above the jungle floor. Fashioning a tarp above her bedding to fend off any of the rain that managed to trickle down from the canopy.

Sturdy fishing lines and strong nets had been strung up between her tree and three trees on the other bank in case she ran out of dry food.

The scent in the air would change just as much as the land would in the days to come.

Down on the ground Iya examined her work, hands on her hips and a small smirk on her face. Proud of herself. The past two seasons had taught her invaluable lessons that would stay with her as long as she survived. Giving a sharp nod of approval before picking up the sharpened spear she'd spent the prior night whittling.

Honestly she hadn't slept that night in fear the sky demons would come for her. Though her all-nighter proved futile as the only things she heard were the distant calls of old birds and the cool wind bringing forth the new storm. Still she had sat up, just in case.

Feeling at least more secure that nothing had come for her that night Iya decided that a nap was well earned. Particularly with all the preparations she'd made in the weeks before and this last night of carving.

Iya clambered up the large roots and continued skyward with the help of etched footholds she'd made years ago. Finally hoisting herself into the woven bed which laid out five by four feet and five feet across that settled between three strong branches, not the most comfortable unless one was small and curled up into themselves but it worked.

Inside the nest itself she'd packed up things that were normally hidden in the tree's roots—small skulls and necklaces she'd made for herself out of boredom. Little, insignificant things that, like her plot, meant the world to her. She'd hung them above her head in the overhanging tarp just so they wouldn't take up anymore space in the bedding.

Along with the sentimental items, she kept dried fruits, things that while she didn't know the English name of them, knew they were safe to eat. She'd also made sure to mash some of the leaves of a deep, round purple fruit into paste for medical reasons. Knowing they relieved pain and calmed muscle spasms. A wonderful thing to have in this unpleasant area. Those things she'd stored near the foot of the bedding, wrapped up in their own sheets and larger leaves to keep out greedy insects. She also kept one small knife that she had fashioned from stone by hand. Among all that she had one woven blanket and many skins which she had traded with other indigenous people many months ago for smoked fish. While the blanket itself was finally showing its age Iya had no other methods of repairing the damaged edges and holes, she would make do until she had a chance to trade for a better one.

Snuggling up into the ratty covers Iya's eyes fluttered lightly while the soft patter of rain above her finally lulled her into an airy, dreamless sleep.

. . .

The trio had awoken hours before the sun even tried to peek its bleary head between the dense, gray clouds. All three were set up for hunting, masks in place and weapons ready for retrieval at a moment's notice. Though once awake none of them spoke—as if in a methodical trance, to other Yautja it was obviously a state of zazin. To any other creature spying on them, a sign of the blood shed to come.

Nan'ku was the first of them to leave, heading off to the North, away from where they landed and away from the ooman. He had turned the cloaking device not long after departing from the tiny clearing.

Guan-thwei had followed after him roughly thirty minutes afterwards but soon took a North-east route, already on the scent of something. Being the most seasoned of the three he'd already decided to go after something large.

Finally after the other two where out of range of his helmet sightings Dez'Mos headed South. While he should have been sleeping that night he'd spent crafting a present for a certain ooman. The black metal choker barely took up any space in his hand. It was created of similar metal that surrounded his neck brace which were either passed on from masters to students or bought from craftsmen. Though this brace he had spent hours on making specifically for the little ooman, using the small microchips in a old wrist gauntlet to allow for the translation of her ooman speech into his language.

At least, he hoped that's what would happen. He'd only be certain once the Lou-dte kale accepted his offering and Dez'Mos knew that was going to be the hardest part.

By high noon the sun had yet to make any appearance whatsoever while Dez'Mos carefully picked up his trail from last night. Frankly he should be out hunting like the others, such as he'd promised his father but the allure of finding more information was far more captivating than his blood lust.

Maybe he wouldn't become a warrior but instead an honored scholar, he found much more enjoyment studying his prey than killing it. Particularly oomans.

Albeit they were lesser, oddly shaped things that seemed to crawl out of the primordial ooze only to blunder around and fall on their knees for anything stronger than it. He'd heard stories and tales from elders far older than his father that spoke of the early oomans that gave their lives away just for the hunt. The oomans were regarded more like cattle back then but as their realms and terrains shifted so did the cultures, as Europeans expanded their empires the old ways were lost.

But the hunt lived on. As did many old temples, lost in time.

The blooded hunter finally came upon the young female's plot, settled down in the lush foliage. Taking in the changes she'd made the night before. It appeared that she had added more wooden spikes with more of her presumed trophies.

All seemed to be skulls of animals. A little bloom of delight sprung in his chest, she wasn't just a scavenger or strictly a trader but in fact a huntress. His mandibles clicked ever so gently, the sound being drowned out by rain and the call of animals here and there.

Flicking through his various forms of sight he found her heat bloom and heart beat amongst the trees, in what seemed to be a large nest. She'd shift every so often but remained neatly tucked in her position, sleeping. Dez'Mos observed for the moment before finally deciding to move again. This time taking to the trees to get a better angle on the little female, while no trees in the surrounding area were as tall as hers he made due with a buxom abiu tree. It's bright yellow fruit ripe above his head, the intoxicating scent keeping him firmly grounded in the real world as he watched her.

Part of him felt a bit odd, he should be out stalking prey and claiming heads. But here he was, nursing a curious burgeoning interest in the ooman female.

He let out a deep chirrup before taking his eyes off her to look around the area again. Trying to point out which animals were the previous owners of those skulls, losing himself in thought. Before the target's heat signature began to move.

Across the way Iya slowly stirred from her slumber, lifting up her messy bed haired clad head. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes before stretching out her lithe limbs and climbing down from her tree. Rain still danced about the sheltered leaves with scarcely a drop finding its way to the floor far below. The small stream was already beginning to swell from the overflow of water from the huge mother river, this would lead fish to come down this way. At least that's the hope Iya had.

Striding her way to the bank to check her fishing lines. Her nude body thin with lean, sinewy but strong muscles exposed to the elements. Before even tending to the lines she found a large mud puddle, picking up a handful and smothering it all over her other arm. Soon she was covered from head to toe in the blackened soil.

Dez'Mos watched for quite some time. Even though her back was normally facing him with the aid of his bio-mask functions he could get the best reading on her. The ooman was between the ages of twenty or twenty-five and barely stood up to his pectoral muscles. She seemed comfortable in her nakedness or maybe it was just the fact that his more "evolved" quarry were just ashamed of their flabby forms they'd taken to hiding themselves away in horrifying, misshapen garments. Either way, the thought was lost on him as he flipped through his view ports. Examining the ooman's frame and organs, everything seemed to be in working order. No diseases or structural damage.

Finally satisfied with the caking mud she donned Iya strode over to the fishing lines, giving a strong jerk to a few before reeling the first in. It no long held a lure to it so Iya baited it once more and tossed it out. She continued with this task before finding a paunchy, old fish on her fourth line. It wiggled in her grip as she unhooked it and tossed it into a near by basket, adding a piece of dried meat to the line and casting it. This continued for a short while before all lines were inspected and she had more fish.

Nodding to herself before heaving the fish filled basket onto her hip as she moved back to a charred pit in the middle of her plot. Setting it down near that before striking up a small, low flame. Which she quickly breathed life into, tossing some near by dried leaves and twigs into it for it to feast on. She gave a quick glance around—knowing the fire would need more if she was going to cook these fish into a fine meal.

She rose and quickly began for her tree before stopping half way up. It started to don on her that something was off. Something strange was here and was blatantly watching her, though she couldn't tell where the feeling came from but now she was on alert.

Climbing up the rest of her tree and into her nest before looking around, with her new vantage point she could safely over look everything she owed. Or at least things she'd claimed and fought others off from.

At last she caught it, the off shimmer in the tree across from her. The hair on the back of her neck and arms would have been standing on end if she hadn't covered herself with mud.

A sky demon was in her camp.

A sky demon was spying on her and her things.

Watching her as she'd went through her daily business, observing her habits. She huffed silently, her eyes wide as she stared back at the ever still figure. Well, more so the distorted image that glimmered softly against the still background of foliage and bark.

Dez'Mos met her stare in full, not that she'd know of that. Downwind of her he could get a read of her scents, while before she smelled of fresh earth and the area around her now she stunk mostly of mud but also of fear and a mild hint of bubbling anger. She obviously didn't enjoy his presence now that she'd noticed him. Though he was surprised she even noticed him at all. She must have been more attuned to her environment that he previously thought.

He bristled a little as a new thought entered his brain, what would she do if her decloaked? He mulled over the idea for a small moment before his young curiosity got the better of him.

Tapping lightly on his wrist gauntlet and uncloaked, keeping his gaze on the little ooman. Her reaction was funnier than he'd hoped.

At first she was still and if Dez'Mos hadn't of had his bio-mask on he would have sworn she'd just keeled over and expired right in front of him. Then she blinked and shifted back into her nest, as if thinking the material would stop his constant staring. Peeking over the bedding ever so often in a one-sided peek-a-boo. She kept a check of his location every time she popped back up, as if thinking if she done it enough times he'd get bored with her shenanigans and leave.

It only made him laughed in a low trill, this she frown at. Seems like she could tell when someone was laughing at her.

After he joked at her for a bit and she'd realized he wasn't going to leave—she'd given up and decided to carry on with what she was doing before spotting him. Climbing out of her nest with her knife. Dez'Mos bristled, the dread-locked cords rising up around his head, tensing slightly until he found she wasn't threatening him with it but going about her business. He settled back and watched her.

Iya had clambered over to another branch, cutting off dead outgrowths and dropping them down to the ground. After she'd made a sizable pile and was satisfied with her work she placed the knife firmly between her teeth as she descended the great tree.

Settled her feet on the earth she took the blade from her mouth and tossed it over to the fire pit, walking over to the heap of twigs and gathered them up. Quickly taking them to the dying fire before chucking a few in, letting it rise and grow into a much better flame. Happy with her work she turned to the fish. Giving her lips a tentative lick.

Grabbing the knife she'd earlier thrown over and taking out the first fish. Decapitating the suffocating fish with such swiftness it'd make a young unblooded flush. She did that with the remaining five fish before gutting and filleting the fine meat with ease. Picking up a much larger stick she'd cut down earlier, shuffling out some smoldering embers before settling the fish down onto the coals themselves.

Gathering up the innards and heads, taking them to the stream and tossing them in for chum to draw in other predatory fish.

As she did this she was obviously tense, body language straight and taut. Knowing she was still under his vigilance.

All the while her mind was running with thoughts, possibilities. Questioning the sky demon and it's strange motives. Though now that she had had a much better view of it, she made the decision at once that she did not want that thing hunting her down and filleting her ass just like she'd done to the fish. Chewing on her lower lip, that is something she never wanted to happen. To herself or her people, though they were safer and deep off away from her rather than ten yards to her East.

Having an enemy like that wouldn't be good for quite evident reasons. It was a huge hulking thing that wasn't of this world and seemed intent on hunting here in this forest, whether she cared or not. Her permission was apparently not it or it's kins concern.

Iya finally looked back up at him, meeting him stare for stare. Dez'Mos bristled again, knowing that she was just studying him but it still unsettled him how she didn't realize it was a blatant challenge to his honor. Still what she did next took him off guard.

Her caked arm raised towards him and she motioned him to come down. She did it once more before returning to the fire pit and settling herself down. Dez'Mos, mouth slightly agape, could not refuse such an offer.

Maybe studying her wasn't going to he as difficult as he first though.

. . .

Welp, that'll complete this chapter. Happy holidays!


	5. Chapter 5

Damn, son. This chapter was so hard for me to get started. Sorry for the delay our internet company disconnected us, it's a long and boring story so I'm not going into it. Though the time it gave me to write this chapter and plot out the next 5 chapters was worth it.

I even got a new idea for another fanfic AND an idea for a sequel to this one. So hurray for that.

. . .

Review Answers:

"Cindy M 19: This story is very funny XD I was thinking she have a tribe right? So why she is alone?"

Thank you for finding my story entertaining. ;w;

Iya does have a tribe but for the last few years she has been living by herself. They have moved away from the bank of the river par due to their nomadic lifestyle, Iya just prefers life alone. Plus if she had stayed with her tribe, she would've been wedded off at an early age AND she wouldn't be around for the hunky alien.

"Taranodongirl1: Great story so far, can you please make the Predators have a little "encounter" with piranas  
>...and live."<p>

While I can't promise that situation would happen in this story, it could have a place in the sequel. Who knows? uwu

. . .

Also, Trigger Warning: Blood. Human deaths. Major Character death.

And like every writer on this site pretty much, I do not own Aliens vs. Predators.

I'm just a huge dork that likes to write fanfiction...

. . .

The youngest of the trio had found the he'd covered over seven hundred yards since he'd set out this morning. Putting as much distance as he could from his dreadful sire and older sibling. Mostly to leave a wide area between the camp and where he planned to hunt, he had soon settled into stalking a small group of oomans. Presently finding their way through the dense jungle flora, unbeknownst of the behemoth hunting them in the shadows. Nan'ku's thick claws held him to the trees above them while the heavy leaves and thundering clouds blocked any sign of his movements.

His blood was still boiling from the insults he'd received the previous night and he had a need to blow off some steam.

He'd found this group just a little while ago and had been following their trail since then. Nan'ku climbed a few feet higher into the tree and jumped from branch to branch to get ahead of them for the moment. Flicking through his vision fields he got a little information on them.

The ooman party consisted of three pups, old enough to walk on their own but staying close to their mothers' sides. Two adult males and two adult females, all four of them appeared unarmed. Though you could never tell with oomans. They kept the children on the inside of their little group, safe from outward attacks.

Or so they would have thought.

In a swift motion, Nan'ku dropped down behind the male taking up the back. Who turned at the soft thud of the heavy Yautja, only to be met by the sharp pain of the large hunter's twin wrist blades plunging into his chest cavity. The ooman could only gurgle in shock as blood seeping into his lungs, efficiently suffocating any other noise he could have made. Blood slipped down his lips as his dark brown eyes rolled back into his head, and his life ended.

One of the females had turned at the noise as well though she was able to let out a loud shriek—alerting the other couple and the pups of the emanate danger.

Removing the blades from the already dead male Nan'ku turned his attention to the startled female, who was too shocked to draw a weapon, if she had any on her person, or to protect any of the three children. Tensing and flexing his wrist to switch the blades' position and sweeping it in a back-handed motion, quite easily slicing through her sickly thin torso. Splattering the nearest pup in it's mother's own crimson vital fluids. Horror painting its face as it huddled back with the other two, sobs ripping from their tiny mouths. The second female dashed forward, hands clinched in small fists with a howl reverberating from her mouth in an attempt to scare him off.

She became his third trophy—catching her by the throat and lifting her off the ground while she pounded at his chest with her dirt crusted feet. He crushed her neck as if it where nothing and her dying breath left her lungs in a pitiful squeak as he dropped her next to the first female. Stepping over the two lifeless bodies and past the three whimpering pups towards the fleeing male. Nan'ku fired off small netgun from his wrist gauntlet, which trapped him down to the forest floor and began to constrict into the pins. Cutting into the soft flesh with ease as he approached the downed prey. The last ooman was in a panic, screaming and begging in a foreign language that Nan'ku wasn't paying attention too. Clicking in amusement as the ooman struggled for freedom, already happy with how much blood he was spilling and the sounds of agony that fell from his chapped lips. Nan'ku raised his wrist blades, flexing lightly to turn them in the proper direction before driving them home into his stomach. Turning his wrist and blades in unison before ripping them out, taking the net with him. The male quickly died from the massive laceration wounds left behind. Shaking off the excess blood and removing the net from his blades Nan'ku stood to glance at his work.

Four adult oomans downed in mere minutes. He hadn't even worked up a sweat but at least he felt a little better. Overjoyed with the blood shed.

Glancing over to the huddled group of sucklings, Nan'ku contemplated killing them as well. He slowly made his way over to the three survivors but before he could claim any of the tiny skulls for his own, a huge body collided with his. Sending him into the nearest tree stump with a loud and painful crash; before he could collect his thoughts as his sire decloaked. Guan-Thwei's body blocking the view of the little oomans, shielding them from anymore of Nan'ku's wrath. His shoulders were high, exhaling through his mask in short angry snorts and his arms wide at his side before he started spouting curses at his own pup.

"You coward!" He roared at Nan'ku who instinctively lowered his head and eyes in an act of penance. "I thought you would have been trained better than this! I thought you would have KNOWN better than this!" Guan-Thwei's dreadlocks high around his head in malevolence, towering over the slain bodies of the oomans and his son. The older warrior's scarred body shaking from rage that burned in his veins, fists clenched and unclenched rhythmically with the time of his breathing as he tried to rein in his temper. "I thought I had taught you better than to slaughter those who were unarmed... ESPECIALLY while they were protecting PUPS!" Guan-Thwei's voice wavering just a bit.

The younger hunter sat there. Dazed for the moment, taking the verbal reprimand much easier than he thought he would. He didn't feel awful, as he normally did when he was getting chewed out. Nan'ku just felt a new numbness inside.

"Nan'ku, you are no longer a Blooded Warrior. You are no longer a clan member. You are no longer my son." His voice slowly rising with venom again as he delivered the last of his sentence. "You are nothing but a murderous, abomination of a bad-blood." He growled lowly, with as much spite and derision as he could muster for the young hunter.

Guan-Thwei turned from his offspring to look over the sniveling ooman sucklings and let out a soft, rumbling purr. Extending an open hand towards them in hopes to calm their terrified cries. They reminded him so much of Nan'ku when he learned in his puerility about why he had no mother to care for him and why he was normally passed along to the other females until they tired of his rowdy temper tantrums. They were so young to be without parents and it made his heart ache for them, as it had for Nan'ku before he'd turned into the monster he was now.

Unfortunately, these would be his last thoughts. Nan'ku had stood up from the broken stump and charged the kneeling male. Knocking him off kilter and into the blood soaked leaves, the young hunter raised up his twin wrist blades and drove them home into his sire's unprotected stomach.

A terrible vocalization kept leaving Nan'ku's mouth as he repetitively stabbed the elder.

Immense amounts of bioluminescent green blood coated the blades and both hunters. The older huntsman had managed to grab a hold of Nan'ku's left arm, worn claws digging into his flesh there only to slowly be loosened and fall limply to the ground. Blood was already oozing out from under the bio-mask, and with that, the great Guan-Thwei died.

No final words, no parting wisdom, and no chance to fight back. Now Nan'ku was the one who was shaking, adrenalin still coursing through his system as he began to realize what he had just done. A light and airy feeling that he'd never felt before became apparent to him now.

He was a murderer.

A criminal.

An outlaw.

A bad-blood and it felt good… no… it felt _great_!

"I am... done with taking your shit." Nan'ku hissed slowly to the dead body of his sire.

Standing and turning, Nan'ku glanced back at the pups. Shaking some of his sire's blood from the wrist blades before walking over to their little sobbing huddle. They didn't even try to fight back as he made them his sixth, seventh and eighth victims of the day.

. . .

Iya stared up at the monolithic form that sat across from her, keeping the burned out fire pit and another two feet between them both. She'd kept her eye on him since she'd spotted him in the tree just twenty minutes ago and nary let him leave her sight once he entered her camp. He dwarfed her stature without even trying, with him standing over seven feet and weighing in at about three hundred and fifty pounds it wasn't hard. The two of them now at a stare off, sizing the other up and taking interest in their differing appearances.

All the while the camping area grew slightly colder by a just few degrees as the temperature dropped from the storm intensifying above the canopies. The roaring winds being the only thing breaking their very awkward silent stare down.

The huntsman who sat crossways from her was faceless for the most part, with only large slanted eyes and a shiny silver countenance with no give to it whatsoever. With what looked like thick rope cords that crowned the back and sides of his head. Along with that he was completely a ripple with muscles upon muscles and could probably punch his way through a tree. Over his gigantic chest was a strange burnished silver plate of metal that covered his pectoral muscles and up his right shoulder, which was an extremely rare sight in these parts. From that metal plate came thick crises-crossed wires that covered every inch of exposed skin. Now his skin looked odd and smooth like the scales of a snake, the palette a color of deep shining black with a speckle of dark forest green which bubbled from under the chest plate and danced down his exposed stomach, arms and thighs. Feeling her eyes had wandered a bit farther than they should she glanced back up to his face.

Though Iya was becoming aware that this may not even be his face, as Sky Demons were crafty makers of illusions.

He'd already shown that he could disappear from sight thanks to his fancy magic and his anonymous appearance was probably just another ruse. Her dark, brown-black eyes taking note that he was also staring back at her.

Though her soft dark skin was covered in mud nothing escaped the existence of his bio-mask. She was just as healthy as he'd read earlier though she was far lankier than his sensors stated and Dez'Mos found that they may need some calibration when he returned to his camp later that day. Though he still of course eclipsed her five foot, five frame with his with ease. Her hair was ratty and strangely clipped, though she probably only had the aid of herself when it came to trimming it. She breathed through her wide nose, barely parting her full lips. How different they were just by the face yet they still had similar eyes, even if he saw in infra-red and she saw the world in a spectrum that was foreign to him.

Iya shifted softly under his gaze now, breaking his eye contact for the first time to move to the food she'd prepared only moments ago. Murmuring something to herself before she looked back at his unblinking mask, picking up the largest of the three fish and handing it out to him.

Dez'Mos was once again taken aback for the third time today. Holding his hands out in front of him and shaking his head in a negative motion. Even though he was hungry and wished for the chance to dine with the ooman he was on zazin and it was forbidden from eating until the week was done and over with. Along with that he didn't wish to frighten her off since he'd have to take off his bio-mask and he wouldn't know how she'd take in so much variation at once.

Her face contorted in a sense of dissatisfaction but also to some relief she didn't press him further with the matter. The little female moved again, this time to put the fish back down to her side.

She returned to her task for the time being under his gaze, fidgeting somewhat. This might have been a bad idea.

What if she'd just offended him?

He didn't seem offended.

Still Iya's thoughts competed for her attention, warring in her brain as she tried to set to another chore. That was until he, slowly, held out his large hand across the burned out pit and gave her a soft purr to get her attentions solely on him.

A thin, circular ring lay against his green and dark brown speckled palm. Now Iya was the one taken aback, her mouth opened slightly then closed again. Her eyes shooting from the neck brace in his hand to his emotionless mask before she shyly reached out to take it. Softly grazing his fingers with her own before drawing the idea back to her. Her palms some what shaky and unsure of the gift. Turning it over in her muddied hands as she looked back at him, quite confused of its purpose. That was until he carefully pointed to his own neck then back to the brace then to his neck again, giving her a small nod and a bubbling click from his throat. Iya's eyes widened before she smiled and nodded back to him, bowing her head in a diminutive manner in a silent thanks.

Cautiously placing the open brace around her thin neck and then clipping it into place, smoothing the cool metal under her fingers. Then getting up from her spot to walk over to the river. Perplexed, Dez'Mos followed after her a few minutes afterwards. Watching her carefully as she gazed down at her reflection in the dirty water, a quaint smile on her mud-ridden face from what he saw.

Still he wondered if the translator embedded in the device would work as well as he'd hoped and now he'd have a moment to test it. That was until his gantlet beeped insistent for his attention, this ended up spooking the ooman as she broke her gaze from the water to his wrist in bewilderment.

Dez'Mos chuffed a laugh lightly at her and she made an impolite face at him before she left him at the bank to return to her spot by the pit. He didn't chase after her, instead he turned his glare to the wrist gauntlet. Flicking the pad open to take in the information, his brows tightened slowly.

One of the beacons, either his father's or brother's, had gone out.

A small sliver of panic struck him, those signals only went offline when the person was deceased or the signal was deliberately terminated by the beacon holder. If some one had died he'd have to contact the mother ship with a report and then go to find the body, if either Guan-Thwei or Nan'ku hadn't already, to dispose of it and any other sentient species that could find and steal the weaponry.

He glanced over to the ooman, not wanting to leave her just yet but with the possibility of a downed hunter this would cut the trip off prematurely for burial rites. Weighing the options he started to contact the home ship with a report and to request information if someone was slay. Nan'ku was probably just pulling everyone's leg again and turned off his signal to do more solo hunting or just didn't wished to be tracked for the moment, it was a worrisome but normal occurrence and no one was really harmed in the matter.

Though it was annoying.

Dez'Mos eyes fell to the neck brace in thought. While the translator would only take the vibration of her vocal cords and process it into his own language and it would more than likely come out piss poor and a bit more garbled than a what a child would speak. This was still an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

Learning about oomans from an actual ooman would be the greatest prospect any hunter worth his honor could get. Not to mention it would open up a whole other means in how they were viewed in the Yautja society.

. . .

Unbeknownst, that miles away, Nan'ku had already linked to the home ship. Breathlessly spouting lie after lie that his brother, Dez'Mos, had murderer their father.

Pleading that they would send Arbitrator Zawa'k after his 'crazed' half-brother as Nan'ku was in fear for his very life. Since Zawa'k not only had a personal relationship with his late sire but was also a high-grade prestigious arbitrator that always got his quarry.

They would, of course, as an unlawful murder of another Yautja was a violation of the code, punishable by immediate public execution. After the communication was ended, Nan'ku turned back to his slaughtered trophies. A grin on his mandibles as he sported three new tiny skulls on his belt and his sire's ceremonial dagger on his right shin. Replacing his own bio-mask before he headed deeper into the woodland area and leaving the eight headless corpses to hang from the trees.

Completely giddy with the gore he left in his wake.

. . .

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Also I'd like to give a big hand to Khalthar who gave me a lot of great ideas on how to start this one. Plus, hurray for a new character coming in the next chapter!

See you lovelies later.


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